The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-04-23
AN OPIUM SEIZURE.
Clever Smuggling Device Utilized by Pa
cific Coast Contrabantlists.

Clever Smuggling Device Utilized by Pa
cific Coast Contrabandists.
Our customs officers in this district are
vigilant, says the Seattle Post Eatelligencer.
A recent occurrence brou 5ht this fact
prominently before the people of this
community. Chief Inspect E. A. Card
ner has been il strumental in tracing up
numerous schemes of smuggling, and in
doing so has employed his time and ener-
gies almost night and day. He has friends
in Victoria, B. c., who keep him posted as
to the movements of certain people sup
posed to be in the unlawful business of
smuggling. These friends of the chief in
spector have been literally rewarded by
him for their aid, and their vigilance has
correspondingly increased.
Upon Mr. Gardeners return from his re-
cent trip to the East he was informed by
these friends in Victoria that new scheme
of systematic smuggling had been discov.'
cred. He Immediately detailed Inspectors
Wintrode and Terry to help catch the of
tenders. The other day the three officers
proceeded to Victoria on the steamer North
Pacific. While there they noticed lonely
looking chest that had been recently paint
ed. It was landed at the dock, and finally
it was placed on the steamer and checked
to Tacoma The officers concluded to
watch the chest and try to see the owner.
The latter did not appear, however, and
when the steamer touched at the Seattle
wharf Chief Gardner gave orders to have
the chest removed to the Office Of Deputy
Collector Winslow.
On examining the chest it was found to
contain complete kit of well-worn car
penter's tools, most Of them carefully
wrapped as though the owner had been an
economical and Woodworking mechanic.
The first thing looked for on opening the
chest was false bottom, but this old
scheme was carefully avoided by the
smugglers; the bottom was not false.
Around the edge of the top and bottom of
the chest were heavy wooden strips that
seemed to lend it an additional appearance
Of solidity and nothing more. In probing
around near the top hole recently filled
with putty was found, and further search
disclosed screw. Continuing the investt-
cation along the line, the inspectors found
many screws which held firmly these wide
bands of what were supposed to be solid
wood, but what in reality proved to be hol-
lowed boxes filled with tightly-wedgcd
cans of opium. The ingenious boxing
around the bottom of the chest contained
twenty-eight and that around the top four
teen pounds of opium, which had cost in
Victoria something over ten dollars per
pound.
Beside these spaces for concealing
opium, there were found in the top board
small partitioned spaces suitable for con-
cealing about five hundred dollars worth
Of lace There was no evidence of recent
use of the chest for lace smuggling, but
this new scheme has been discovered by
the customs officers, and the smugglers
will be compelled to desist from their ne
farious traffic or invent some new delu-
sion. Not a scrap of writing was to be
found in the chest, though there was a
small writing portfolio. There was also
found among the hammers, chisels, saws
and planes nicely bound volume on the
culture Of cranberries. The opium, to-
gether with the chest and all its contents,
will be taken to Port Townsend and there.
disposed of at public auction.
A Chicago Girls Blue Eyebrows.
know young lady-a very fair blond
who is in the habit of penciling her eye
brows, which are very light, says writer
in the Chicago Journal The other day
friend called to take her for drive. She